Dezeen » Architecture for Humanityhttp://www.dezeen.com
architecture and design magazineTue, 31 Mar 2015 18:04:48 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Architecture for Humanity board to file for bankruptcyhttp://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/23/architecture-for-humanity-board-to-file-for-bankruptcy-matt-charney/
http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/23/architecture-for-humanity-board-to-file-for-bankruptcy-matt-charney/#commentsFri, 23 Jan 2015 16:37:31 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=634110News: the board of directors of non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity has confirmed it will file for bankruptcy, but 57 international chapters have pledged to continue working under a new umbrella network. In a statement issued on the organisation's website last night, board chair Matt Charney said that Architecture for Humanity LLC would file for Chapter […]

News: the board of directors of non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity has confirmed it will file for bankruptcy, but 57 international chapters have pledged to continue working under a new umbrella network.

In a statement issued on the organisation's website last night, board chair Matt Charney said that Architecture for Humanity LLC would file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the US within the next two weeks.

"Architecture for Humanity has had incredible partners and funders that made our work possible over the last 15 years but, like many charity organisations, we have had serious funding challenges," said Charney.

"Our leadership worked to overcome the funding gaps to the best of their ability, but the deficit combined with budget overruns and an overall decrease in donations finally became an insurmountable situation."

Operating under the slogan "Design like you give a damn", Architecture For Humanity was founded in 1999 and raised money to fund architectural solutions to humanitarian crises around the world. At its peak it was receiving over $5 million (£3.3 million) in funding each year. Its work was carried out internationally by independent chapters, coordinated by a parent organisation in San Francisco.

But on 1 January this year the charity's head office laid off all of its staff and ceased accepting donations.

Despite the collapse of the parent company, the 57 chapters will continue to operate under the new umbrella title the Architecture for Humanity Chapter Network and have now launched an AFH Chapter website.

"Many of the international chapters of Architecture for Humanity, while they share a common name, are separate legal entities and will continue their work without pause," said Charney.

"Additionally, the US-based chapters of Architecture for Humanity are managed by all volunteer directors, and those directors have vowed to continue the work of the organisation, though it may be under a different name. It is a testament to what Architecture for Humanity has meant to the profession that the work will continue."

Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr

The San Francisco-based non-profit organisation was founded by Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, who ran it from 1999 to 2013 before stepping down to undertake new ventures. The pair did not reveal whether they would return to Architecture for Humanity under the Chapter Network structure.

"While we founded the organisation, at its heart are its design fellows and volunteers," Sinclair told Dezeen. "We are giving the chapters the space to create the governance needed to form an alliance of humanitarian designers."

The chapter leaders have also issued an official joint statement, vowing to continue to support humanitarian architecture activities across the globe.

"The commitment of this network of volunteers remains unwavering, and we vow to continue supporting our local communities," said the AfHCN statement.

"We believe design is a right not a privilege. True to our grassroots form, we are determined, agile and resilient. We are ready for the challenges of this new year and are looking towards a brighter future. United we stand stronger than ever," it said.

Statement from the board of directors, Architecture for Humanity:

It is with great regret that we announce that Architecture for Humanity, LLC will be filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The Board expects that the bankruptcy will be filed within the next two weeks. This decision was made after serious consideration and review of all options. All staff was laid off as of January 1, 2015 and the physical office in San Francisco has been closed. As of January 1, 2015, the organization also stopped accepting donations.

It is important to distinguish that while Architecture for Humanity as a 501c3 company is filing for bankruptcy, many of the international chapters of Architecture for Humanity, while they share a common name, are separate legal entities and will continue their work without pause. Additionally, the U.S. based chapters of Architecture for Humanity are managed by all volunteer directors, and those directors have vowed to continue the work of the organization, though it may be under a different name. It is a testament to what Architecture for Humanity has meant to the profession that the work will continue.

Architecture for Humanity has had incredible partners and funders that made our work possible over the last 15 years but, like many charity organizations, we have had serious funding challenges. Our leadership worked to overcome the funding gaps to the best of their ability, but the deficit combined with budget overruns and an overall decrease in donations finally became an insurmountable situation.

Even with this sad news, it is important to remember what the thousands of Architecture for Humanity volunteers and staff accomplished and inspired over the last 15 years. In 2006, the TED Prize was given in recognition of this work and spawned the Open Architecture Network, a platform that allowed a community to be born surrounding open source design and connected the world of humanitarian design globally in the digital space like no one had done before.

Architecture for Humanity has provided important public interest design services to communities with critical needs across the globe, including post-disaster reconstruction in the United States, Haiti, the Philippines, South Africa, and Japan. We encourage everyone to take a look at the incredible work that has been done. “Design Like You Give A Damn”, a phrase coined by co-founder Cameron Sinclair, became a motto and transformed into an annual conference and two published books showcasing public interest design. Further, this motto became a part of architecture as a profession.

In many ways, Architecture for Humanity helped to begin the humanitarian design movement. We now look to chapter members, volunteers, former staff, and the profession at large to lead the way.The Board will continue to share any new updates with you via the Architecture for Humanity website.We are extremely proud that Architecture for Humanity has been able to positively impact millions of lives through the power of design. We humbly thank you for all of your support.

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/23/architecture-for-humanity-board-to-file-for-bankruptcy-matt-charney/feed/0Architecture for Humanity co-founders "deeply saddened" as charity's head office closeshttp://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/17/architecture-for-humanity-to-close-down/
http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/17/architecture-for-humanity-to-close-down/#commentsSat, 17 Jan 2015 15:49:05 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=630660News: non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity has closed its San Francisco headquarters and laid off its staff after apparently being unable to continue funding humanitarian projects. Co-founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, who ran the organisation from 1999 to 2013, responded to the "sad news" in an email yesterday. "We just heard the news that Architecture for Humanity, the organisation we started more than […]

News: non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity has closed its San Francisco headquarters and laid off its staff after apparently being unable to continue funding humanitarian projects.

Co-founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, who ran the organisation from 1999 to 2013, responded to the "sad news" in an email yesterday.

"We just heard the news that Architecture for Humanity, the organisation we started more than 15 years ago, has pivoted its mission and is planning to close," wrote the duo, who are pictured above. "We are deeply saddened by this."

Operating under the slogan "Design like you give a damn," AFH raised money to fund architectural solutions to humanitarian crises around the world, raising over $5 million (£3.3 million) in funding each year.

But the organisation's headquarters near Union Square were shut down and all staff laid off without announcement on 1 January, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

AFH has yet to issue a statement about the reasons behind the move, but board member Clark Manus of San Francisco firm Heller Manus Architects told the San Francisco Chronicle that the organisation ran out of money to fund its projects.

"The board tried very hard to figure out how to right the organization, and we were out there looking for angels, but the money wasn’t there to support it," said Manus. "It's not that the mission and need wasn't clear, or that the staff wasn't dedicated."

The New York Times reported that the organisation intends to apply for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection after being unable to reduce a deficit of $2.1 million.

AFH's numerous international chapters remain unaffected by the closure, since they operate independently. The organisation has over 20,000 members and 59 chapters, including 18 outside the USA.

"However, AFH London is still open for business as a registered UK charity and limited company."

AFH supporters called on the San Francisco office's board to explain their actions.

Jonathan Hursh, founder and executive director of non-profit organisation Included, wrote on Facebook: "As a former partner and current fan of both your work and the founders, [I] would suggest that it would be good for all involved if you can immediately send out communications to your chapters and partners to get ahead of the breaking media news as soon as possible."

"Kate [Stohr] and I can't speak or act for the organisation, due to our departure," Cameron Sinclair told Dezeen, "but it's been amazing to see chapter leaders mobilising in the last 24 hours and making the board be transparent in their actions."

The non-profit organisation was founded in 1999 when Sinclair and Stohr organised a competition to design refugee shelters for Kosovans returning home after the war in their country, but stepped down from the organisation in 2013 to pursue other projects.

AFH regularly ran open design competitions for structures that would benefit vulnerable communities and disaster victims around the world.

Recent projects that feature on AFH's Facebook page, which has not been updated since 11 December, include a school in Peru and a community centre in Slovakia.

It also helped to fund projects such as the Yodakandiya Community Complex (above), which was constructed in Sri Lanka following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and was shortlisted for the 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

"We ran the organisation and grew it from just a small circle of volunteers to an international organisation with chapters in 25 countries," said the co-founders. "For more than 10 years, together we led the movement to bring social design where it is needed most.

"We built award-winning buildings, ran innovative programs, personally raised more than $5 million in annual funding, year in and year out, and established more than five community design centres that set the standard for rebuilding after disaster."

"We hope the profession will continue to design like a give damn – in whatever form that takes," said Stohr and Sinclair. "And we urge the chapters to continue their much needed work".

Sinclair is now executive director of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, a non-profit organisastion established by actor Angelina Jolie and dedicated to community development and conservation in Cambodia.

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/17/architecture-for-humanity-to-close-down/feed/10Architecture for Humanity founders step downhttp://www.dezeen.com/2013/09/09/architecture-for-humanity-founders-step-down/
http://www.dezeen.com/2013/09/09/architecture-for-humanity-founders-step-down/#commentsMon, 09 Sep 2013 13:30:53 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=355355News: Architecture for Humanity co-founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr have announced plans to leave the disaster-relief organisation they started 15 years ago. Sinclair and Stohr launched Architecture for Humanity in 1999 to provide design and construction services to world-wide communities affected by natural disasters, but will now step down to undertake new ventures. Stohr will […]

News: Architecture for Humanity co-founders Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr have announced plans to leave the disaster-relief organisation they started 15 years ago.

Sinclair and Stohr launched Architecture for Humanity in 1999 to provide design and construction services to world-wide communities affected by natural disasters, but will now step down to undertake new ventures. Stohr will leave at the end of this month to pursue a career in television and web production, while Sinclair will remain in his position as executive director until April 2014, before moving on to focus on his own community projects. His replacement will be announced later in the year.

"It's great to see something you started evolve into an institution," commented Stohr. "We are excited about the future of the organisation and plan to continue lending support in whatever ways we can."

Since launching, the San Francisco-based non-profit organisation has evolved into a global community of 63 local groups and has responded to 15 natural and man-made disasters with the completion of over 300 projects. The departure of its co-founders forms part of a new five-year vision that will see Architecture for Humanity increase its fund-raising and open new offices.

Before leaving, Sinclair will work alongside celebrity campaign director Jennifer Lopez to raise $1.5 million (£956,000) in support of future projects.

"Kate and Cameron's vision and years of dedication and hard work leaves the organisation in a solid place to continue its leadership role in using architecture to solve humanitarian problems," said board president Matt Charney. "They have built a world-class team of staff and volunteers committed to improving communities - both around the globe and in the US. I speak for the entire board of directors when I say we are extremely excited by the possibilities in front of us."

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2013/09/09/architecture-for-humanity-founders-step-down/feed/2Military zones re-imagined by finalists of Open Architecture Challengehttp://www.dezeen.com/2012/08/17/military-zones-re-imagined-by-finalists-of-open-architecture-challenge/
http://www.dezeen.com/2012/08/17/military-zones-re-imagined-by-finalists-of-open-architecture-challenge/#commentsFri, 17 Aug 2012 17:22:58 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=236899Dezeen Wire: the winners have been announced for this year's Open Architecture Challenge, hosted by non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity, with the top award going to a Ugandan proposal to build community hubs in a former refugee camp. The Founders' Award went to Paicho Huts (above), a proposal to transform a former IDP (internally displaced […]

The Founders' Award went to Paicho Huts (above), a proposal to transform a former IDP (internally displaced people's) camp in Gulu, Uganda into community hubs for local people. The Challenge Winner was an Ocean & Coastline Observatory (below) on the site of the Trafaria defence batteries outside Lisbon in Portugal.

Over 500 teams submitted work to be judged on five criteria: community impact, contextual appropriateness, ecological footprint, economic viability and design quality.

T. Luke Young, who coordinated the competition at Architecture for Humanity, said the turnout had been "incredible", adding: “This is the most geographically diverse response we’ve had to an Open Architecture Challenge, a fact made more interesting considering the complexity of the project.”

Winners have been announced for the Open Architecture Challenge: [UN]RESTRICTED ACCESS hosted by Architecture for Humanity. The Founders' Award goes to Paicho Huts, a Ugandan proposal to transform a former IDP camp to benefit rural countrymen. The Winner of the Challenge, OCO - Ocean & Coastline Observatory, is a Portuguese proposal to reassign the Trafaria defense batteries outside Lisbon.

Economic Development
First Place: Magazine Hill: a weathered continuum, Pretoria, South Africa
Second Place: [ARCH]itecture for Comm[UNITY], Anniston, Alabama, United States
Third Place: The Store - Pillbox Conversion, Napier, New Zealand

These proposals highlight the results of a Challenge that had engaged 510 teams from 71 countries in re-imagining former military spaces. The nature of the resulting standings reflect the extreme difficulty with which the interdisciplinary jury of 33 professionals evaluated the entries.

From five judging criteria - community impact, contextual appropriateness, ecological footprint, economic viability, and design quality – four further projects showing incredible strength were named equal First Place winners, behind the First Place and Founder’s Award, and seven additional teams identified as Runners-Up. Back-to-back rounds of judging narrowed nearly 200 qualifying proposals to 24 semifinalists, and then the winners.

“The turnout and production for this Challenge were incredible,” remarks T. Luke Young, who coordinated the competition at Architecture for Humanity. “This is the most geographically diverse response we’ve had to an Open Architecture Challenge, a fact made more interesting considering the complexity of the project.” Young recognised the effort made by the jury to provide each entrant with a thorough evaluation.

]]>http://www.dezeen.com/2012/08/17/military-zones-re-imagined-by-finalists-of-open-architecture-challenge/feed/0Architecture for Humanity call for "Ideas on a postcard, please"http://www.dezeen.com/2012/03/16/architecture-for-humanity-call-for-ideas-on-a-postcard-please/
http://www.dezeen.com/2012/03/16/architecture-for-humanity-call-for-ideas-on-a-postcard-please/#commentsFri, 16 Mar 2012 10:17:45 +0000http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=198815Dezeen Wire: to celebrate the launch of their second book, entitled Design Like You Give a Damn 2, non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity are calling for ideas to improve London, to be sent on a postcard for exhibition at the book launch from 3 to 9 May at 54 Rivington Street London EC2 A3QN. Here […]

Dezeen Wire: to celebrate the launch of their second book, entitled Design Like You Give a Damn 2, non-profit organisation Architecture for Humanity are calling for ideas to improve London, to be sent on a postcard for exhibition at the book launch from 3 to 9 May at 54 Rivington Street London EC2 A3QN.

Here are some more details from Architecture for Humanity:

To celebrate the publication of Design Like You Give a Damn 2, by Architecture for Humanity founder Cameron Sinclair, we are inviting architects, designers, artists, students and other creative individuals to come up with a proposal for a small scale project, product or build that embodies the spirit of humanitarian design.

Architecture for Humanity London and Studio 54 Architecture are co-hosting a week long event on the theme of designing ‘like you give a damn’. We’re calling for ideas that will in some way improve the London experience.

It could be an idea for a public space installation, a community enterprise, an eco building, an ingenious object, or anything that demonstrates how design can be used to make Londoner’s lives better and happier.

So ideas on a postcard, please. All entries will be exhibited. Visitors can vote on their favourite. We will choose a few ideas to take to the next step.

The proposal can be text, a sketch or other visual representation. Think of an idea that could benefit London. Be bold. Be adventurous. Think big. Or small.

Submissions should be made using the A5 postcard template below. Alternatively, you can download the postcard template from ideasonapostcard.org.uk. Please print on 200 gsm card or heavier stock or mount onto card (not foamboard). If you would prefer to use a pre-printed blank card contact us at the email below.

Don’t forget to include the project title, and your name and details and post to: